6.270 2002 Rules Committee Rulings

The following are questions and responses from the 6.270 Rules Committee. Please send all rules committee questions to 6.270-rules@mit.edu.
Last updated 11 Jan 02 at 10:10 am

Can we launch/catapult the balls into the trough, off of the table, or
at the other robot?Yes.

Can we put mirrors on our robot to affect the other robot's sensor
readings?No. Mirrors in this case are not LEGO or decoration - besides, it probably wouldn't work.

What color are the balls? When do we find out which color balls are
"ours" in the contest?The colors are green and white, as shown in lecture. The robot that starts in the starting area with 3/4 black will have green balls, and the robot that starts in the starting area with 3/4 white will have white balls. Your robot can't find this out until the round begins, and it detects on its own which side of the table it is on.

Where in the starting area does the robot start? Where is the starting
light, and how high is it relative to the table surface?The starting light is at the point where the four squares in the starting area meet. Some pre-determined "center" (you have to label it) of your robot
will always have to be above this LED. The LED should be pretty flush
with
the surface.

Can robots split into two (or more) pieces tethered by strips of
LEGO/molded baseplate?Yes, it is legal, but we will be very harsh about making sure that LEGO is what holds the robot together.

Is it ok if the robot falls over, or drives into the trough, and our IR
beacon is
no longer within the prescribed height range? Can we win by knocking over the
other robot and lowering their IR beacon?The rule is 17"-18" off the playing surface, so a robot won't be
disqualified if it falls into the trough. It also will not be disqualified if it accidentally gets knocked over, or is pushed over by the other robot.

Can we modify the servo, such that it behaves like a motor or runs at
a
different speed?No.

Can we shave the LEGO tires for evenness/less friction/better
turning?No, this breaks the "no LEGO modification" rule. Section 2.4.4 of the
course notes lists steps that may be taken to modify the coefficient of friction of the wheels/treads.

Can we add paper/cardboard as a functional component of our
sensors?Yes.